Big Brothers, big Pats fans

Tyreek Sanders, 9, of Northampton, and his mentor, Shawn Robinson, 26, of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, attend the Patriots-Ravens game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. The sun came out, there was a bright blue sky and, yes, indeed, those pesky New England Patriots notched a win over the Baltimore Ravens.
It could not have been a better day for Northampton’s Tyreek Sanders, 9, and his mentor, Shawn Robinson, 26, of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County. The pair got to attend the game at Gillette Stadium as the guests of Pats’ nose tackle Vince Wilfork and his wife, Bianca, and 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Match of the Game” coordinated through the Massachusetts Mentoring Partnership.
Tyreek, who, by the way, is playing tackle football, and Shawn have been matched for about six months. The two enjoy a wide variety of activities together and take turns picking out what to do, like riding go-karts, watching movies, cooking, swimming and playing catch.
“We’re the perfect match,” Shawn said. “We’re both huge Patriots fans, and I think there’s nothing like the great experience of jointly cheering for your favorite team, especially in person at the home stadium. This was an awesome opportunity for both of us to open up new grounds for our friendship.”
No devine interventionTimothy A. McDonnell The Springfield City Council on Tuesday night came forward with a proclamation which, in part, recognized the opening of St. Michael’s Academy. In the audience in the Council Chambers at City Hall was the Most Rev. Timothy A. McDonnell, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield - and a New York Yankees fan. Still, civility was in the air on the eve of the playoffs in a season when the Boston Red Sox and Yankees may meet to decide who wins the American League pennant.
“We’ll be good to you tonight, even though you are a Yankee fan,” City Councilor Kateri B. Walsh joked to McDonnell before the bishop addressed the council.
A hunter’s dreamJohn Scavotto Jr. calls it the “chance of a lifetime.”
An avid bow hunter, he’s chased whitetail deer in Vermont and Massachusetts, but a new TV show gave the member of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 63 in Springfield, a chance to partake of some of the best whitetail hunting of his life.
Scavotto traveled to Wisconsin with Tom Ackerman, host of “Escape to the Wild,” a union-dedicated outdoor TV show on Versus.com, formerly the Outdoor Life Network.
He’d sent an application with a 10-second video to Versus and was chosen from among many national union applicants. “I was so surprised that I was chosen. It was such an incredible experience and a chance of a lifetime,” Scavotto said. “Being a single dad just trying to make a living and support my daughter, I can’t afford big hunts.”
The segment aired over Labor Day weekend, but some episodes of “Escape to the Wild” can be caught online by going to www.versuscountry.com and checking out their “shows” page.
What’s a comb? Timothy P. Murray Two candidates in the Dec. 8 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate – U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, of Somerville, and Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca – both appeared at the Agawam Democratic Town Committee on Sept. 27. But it was Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray who got the biggest laugh.
When Capuano appeared on the stage, Capuano dropped a comb from his pocket and it remained on the floor after he finished his speech.
Sen. Stephen J. Buoniconti, D-West Springfield, later picked up the comb. Every one could see that Buoniconti, who is bald, had retrieved the congressman’s comb.
“Hey, Senator,” Murray said, according to a source at the event, “that’s Capuano’s comb. Make sure you give it back to him. You sure don’t need it.”
People roared in laughter.
Inspiring loyaltyDavid B. Donoghue Say what you want about Holyoke Treasurer David B. Donoghue, the guy inspires loyalty. He has held the position of city treasurer, a post subject to city election every four years, for 21 years and worked in the city assessors office for 10 years before that.
Reviews from state agencies and others have yielded heavy-duty criticism of the treasurer’s office. An independent auditor hired by the city declared “the lack of controls indicates the treasurer’s office is failing in its fiduciary responsibilities.”
But Donoghue managed more than just a second-place finish in the preliminary election on Sept. 22, which set up a showdown in the Nov. 3 election with first-place finisher Jon D. Lumbra.
The bad reviews failed to sway voters like Thomas E. Philpott, of Allyn Street, from backing Donoghue.
“I think he’s a man of high integrity. I think he has chosen to take the high road. I believe in that. I don’t think we should talk about mistakes people make. Teddy Kennedy taught us that. I think we should talk about a man’s career,” Philpott said.
Go to WSC, see the worldEvan S. Dobelle The Education Abroad Program at Westfield State College is an experience that college President Evan S. Dobelle would like every student to think about. Seriously. Here is the way Dobelle sees things:
“In the 21st century,” he says on the college’s Web site, “it is imperative that education prepare our students to be citizens of the world with the capacity to respect a diversity of views, and to learn and collaborate productively with individuals whose geographic, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds are different than their own. Studying abroad is a highly effective way to ensure these educational goals are met and to prepare for the professional challenges faced after graduation. I hope that every student at Westfield State College will consider its potential.”
Don’t miss The Republican tomorrow for Cries & Whispers on poetry under the bright lights, the disappearing Mayor Sullivans, an overflowing town meeting in Wilbraham, a family that runs together in Holyoke, and other items too interesting to ignore. Reach us at cries@repub.com.